Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

Evening. Folks,

Just trying to get back into my routine. I've loads of leftovers from having my friend here, but really can't get my head round doing anything tonight much. I've a couple of recipes to post tomorrow and I'll try and do something interesting with all the leftovers and report back. This is my last night for being lazy. Have a good evening, All.

Viv xx

Yeah, if you don't hem the towels, they quickly form textile bogies on the cut edges when you wash them and the frayed stuff gets all over the rest of the wash. Plus your towelling rag rapidly dwindles down in size.

Always good to benefit from someone else's screw-ups......:rotfl:

Good Morning, Everyone,

Just sitting here with a cup of coffee trying to get motivated so that I can catch up with all the chores I left whilst my friend was staying with me. I have put all the bedding in the wash this morning although I doubt at the moment that everything will dry as it's a bit grey and dull out there; never mind, I've some beautiful Mother's Day flowers to cheer me up and also my youngest GS presented me with a clay hedgehog he made at school, minus its quills - something to hold the bills down!

Just a small money saving tip this morning. If, like me, you sinfully have cream with your coffee, to use up every last drop, pour coffee into the cream carton and swirl it around before pouring it into your coffee cup.

Here's one of the recipes I made for my friend over the weekend.

Oven-roast Duck Breast with Carmelised Swede - serves 6

6 Gressingham Duck Breasts, 1 or 2 knobs of butter, handful of thyme sprigs, good splash of red wine, 2 large ladlefuls chicken stock, sea salt and pepper. 1 large swede, peeled (or parsnips and/or carrots, they work just as well),40grams butter, 2cm knob fresh root ginger, peeled and grated, 1-2 tsp thin honey.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees/gas 6. With a sharp knife score the duck breast skin in a criss cross pattern making care to avoid cutting through to the meat. Cut the swede into cubes, roughly 2.5cm and simmer in salted water to cover for 10 minutes until barely tender, then drain thoroughly.

Heat a heavy based frying pan over a high heat. Add the duck breasts, skin side down and sear for a few minutes, pressing down on the flesh to ensure an even colour. Turn the duck breasts over, add a knob of butter with the thyme sprigs and cook for 30 seconds only. Transfer to a roasting pan, with the thyme.

Roast the duck breasts in the oven for 8-10 minutes then transfer to a warm plate and rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. Put the roasting pan over a medium heat, add the wine, stirring to deglaze. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and skim. Let bubble until reduced by half. Check the seasoning.

Meanwhile, carmelise the swede: heat the butter in a pan, add the swede with the ginger and honey and saute for 3-4 minutes until lightly carmelised. Pile the swede into the centre of warm plates. Thickly slice the duck breasts and arrange on top of the swede and serve with fondant potatoes. It's absolutely delicious - not greasy at all and the swede counteracts the richness of the duck.

Well, no more excuses, Folks, I need to tackle the housework! Have a great day.

Have just seen your message, Jan, so pleased you enjoyed it. Just re-read your post - you must have a will of iron - well done you!!


Viv xx

Rose - you're Rag Doll is beautiful - a real labour of love (and MSE!) Well done you

silvasava wrote: »

Rose - you're Rag Doll is beautiful - a real labour of love (and MSE!) Well done you

:T In wholehearted agreement with that. I do hope you'll share pictures the boy doll when you have him made. Are they made to keep or are they going as gifts?

I spent 13 hours Fri-Sun working on my allotment. The work was hard but not mentally demanding, so I was able to spend time enjoying nature such as the birdsong and the curses of footballers coming off the playing fields. As well as thinking deep and meaningful thoughts - and shallow and trivial ones, too.

I was also able to watch some of my fellow allotmenteers going about their business and I noted, for the ten dozenth time over the years, that those plotholders who buy in the most Stuff to do their gardening with, have the worst-kept allotments and grow the poorest crops. Because they're trying to get away with not doing any work, and allotments don't let you fake it like that.

You can see similar things in all walks of life. I know skilled and frequent cooks with battered pans and baking equipment, expert gardeners with a couple of hand tools and some sticks and binder twine, adroit needlewomen who hardly have any of the fancy kit. Yet we're sold on the idea that you need to have a lot of specialised and expensive toys in order to make or do anything at all. Craft has been stolen away by commerce.

So, I'd like to pose a question; what thing(s) do you have, to perform some task, which are made-do rather than buy a specialised piece of kit?